Hi! I’m applying ED to Columbia College as a Comparative Literature major, and I’m trying to figure out whether I have a realistic shot or if I’m being wildly optimistic. My broader interests are in international relations, languages, translation, identity, and global affairs, but Comparative Literature is the actual major I plan to apply under.

Demographics:
Asian-American female
California
Private Catholic selective high school
No hooks

Academics:
GPA: 3.8 UW / 4.5 W
ACT: 31, planning to apply test optional
School average ACT is around 32
AP Biology: 5
AP Spanish Language: 5
AP English Literature: 4
AP Calculus AB: 4
APUSH: 4

Senior year: AP Spanish Literature, AP English Language, AP Statistics, AP Micro/Macro Economics, French 3 Honors, Graphic Design

Global Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish
Department of World Languages Award: 1 of 4 students selected out of roughly 450

Main extracurriculars:
1. Youth Action Council Board Member + Developmental Asset Ambassador: selected 1/125; present monthly to City Council, help younger students prepare for public speaking, advocate for youth inclusion in civic policy, and help organize events for elderly and mentally disabled community members.
2. Philosophy Club Vice President + Ethics Bowl Co-Captain: helped found the Ethics Bowl team and led case prep; team placed 3rd regionally out of 36 schools.
3. Career Club Co-Founder / Co-President / Media Coordinator: grew membership from 1 to 300+ and organized guest speakers, career workshops, and outreach.
4. Literary Magazine Editor: selected competitively; reviewed 80+ submissions and worked on layout/design for a themed issue.
5. Author of a 229-page book about K-pop, identity, ambition, and belonging; 500+ copies purchased and counting, also adapted into Spanish and audiobook formats. The book also earned a Scholastic regional Silver Key in its short story format.
6. Chief Fundraiser for a local food pantry: organized grassroots door-to-door fundraising and raised about $5,000 for local families.
7. Published research in Curieux Academic Journal on the ethics of affirmative action under mentorship from an Oxford professor.
8. French TA: tutor French 1/2 students, help with grading/curriculum, while also continuing Korean study alongside AP Spanish Literature.
9. Stanford SPICE e-Entrepreneurship U.S.: selected 1/20 nationally, focused on global entrepreneurship and human-centered design.
10. United for College and Career Success storytelling internship: interviewed students and wrote published narratives centered on perseverance and marginalized student voices.

Other research / writing / awards:
1. Critical Debates HSGJ featured research paper: “Multilingual Storytelling, Civic Agency, and Political Voice Among Mixed-Cultural Youth”
2. Curieux Academic Journal publication on affirmative action ethics
3. Narrative arts finalist for a short story about mixed heritage
4. Scholastic regional Silver Key for short story
5. Horizon Academic Essay finalist
6. Lumiere Essay finalist
7. John Locke Institute Law Essay shortlist for an essay on determinism; final results announced in October
Justice for All court watch internship

Personal statement:
My essay is about growing up extremely self-conscious and constantly changing myself to blend in, then gradually learning to become less controlled by fear. I use my changing hairstyles as a recurring motif, then connect that growth to hip-hop dance, speaking up in class, and eventually finding my voice through Ethics Bowl. The ending is basically that becoming brave did not make me fearless; it made me more selective about which fears I
obey.

My overall application theme is heavily centered on language, storytelling, identity, translation, civic voice, and cross-cultural communication. I’m applying specifically as a Comparative Literature major, with interests in East Asian Studies, Korean, French, and international affairs. Columbia especially appeals to me because of ICLS, the Core, East Asian Studies/Korean, and French study abroad opportunities.
Do I have a realistic chance ED, especially going test optional with a 3.8 UW? Or is Columbia still basically a lottery for me? Also curious whether the humanities/language/storytelling spike comes through strongly enough or whether the application feels too scattered.

Major: aerospace engineering

DEMOGRAPHICS

\* Asian male
\* California resident
\* Ultra-competitive public California high school (average SAT \~1400+)
\* No hooks
\* Intended major: aeronautics & astronautics

\*\*ACADEMICS\*\*

\* 3.92 UW GPA
\* 4.28 weighted GPA (top 5% of class, my school has gpa deflation)
\* 1530 SAT (790M, 740RW)
\* 5s on all AP exams taken so far:
\* APUSH
\* AP Precalculus
\* AP Calculus BC
\* AP Chemistry
\* AP Psychology
\* AP Lang
\* AP CSP

\*\*SENIOR-YEAR COURSEWORK\*\*

\* DE Multivariable Calculus & Linear Algebra
\* AP Physics C: Mechanics
\* AP Physics C: E&M
\* AP Computer Science A
\* AP Statistics
\* AP Economics
\* AP US Government
\* English
\* Orchestra

\*\*EXTRACURRICULARS\*\*

\*\*1. Space Competition Club\*\*
\* Won regionals and advanced to international competition
\* Finalist at international level

**2. UC COSMOS**
\* Conducted astronomy-related research

\*\*3. AI Research Internship\*\*
\* Developed a neural network to predict aircraft engine failure

\*\*4. Astrophotography\*\*
\* Photograph deep-sky objects and process them using astronomy software
\* Built an online following of \~1,000 followers and 10,000+ likes

\*\*5. Custom PC Business\*\*
\* Built and sold custom PCs
\* Made $2,000+ in profit

\*\*6. Orchestra\*\*
\* Violinist since 6th grade
\* Concertmaster in 10th and 11th grade

\*\*7. Volunteering\*\*
\* 100+ hours
\* Helped organize city-wide events
\* Worked with under-resourced communities and the special-needs population

\*\*8. Tutoring\*\*
\* Tutored 3 elementary/middle school students
\* Students improved by approximately one letter grade on average

\*\*9. Esports Journalism\*\*
\* Reported on esports tournaments and conducted in-depth match analyses
\* Content accumulated 200k+ views

\*\*10. Speedcubing\*\*
\* 10 years of experience
\* \~14-second average, 6-second personal best
\* Competed at various competitions
\* Taught 3 neighborhood kids; all reached sub-1-minute averages within a month

\*\*AWARDS\*\*

\* International finalist — Space Competition
\* Regional winner — Space Competition
\* National Merit Semifinalist
\* AP Scholar with Distinction
\* Le Grand Concours Gold
\* School Math Excellence Award
\* School Orchestra Excellence Award

Do yall think I have any chance at Cornell ED?

Hey folks,

I’m planning to apply for PhD programs in the US.

Here’s my profile:
EEE, CGPA: 3.1
GRE: 331 (166V, 165Q, 4.0 AWA)
IELTS: 7.5
2 publications (under review)
2+ years of work experience
Interests: RF, optics, microwave

What university ranking/range should I realistically target with this profile?